Inheritance

Inheritance.

I don't believe we get the concept of inheritance as they understood it throughout the Bible. We are able to gain our own property and possessions. We don't have to rely on inheriting anything. And we don't. We work, save, buy and sell. In Biblical times, this was not the case. To have anything, our parents (or other kinsman) would have to pass along their possessions upon their death. In my case, I would have to marry to have anything. And then it was only mine as long as my husband was alive. As soon as my husband would die, I had to hope that I had a son who would inherit my husband's possessions or I would have no where to live, nothing to eat, no means of survival. If I were a male wealthy landowner, I would worry who would inherit my property if I didn't have sons. That's why I might have several wives, to better guarantee that my family would get my property. For the Hebrews, the property (land) was a gift from God that had to stay in the family to which it was given.

We don't get this concept today. Perhaps it hinders our understanding of the term. Inheritance was easy, under the right circumstances. The one inheriting didn't have to do anything. The condition was to be male. The inheritance was free, no strings attached. Inheritance was spelled out by tradition, not by a "last will and testament". Inheritance was not a contest.
Think about inheritance as a member of God's family. Where is our inheritance? Heaven. How do we get it? Be born into the "family". Easy as that. Become part of God's family by adoption. Adoption made possible because of the birth, death, and resurrection of our brother, Jesus, who shares His inheritance with us. Not because He has to by some legalistic laws but because He wants to be part of His family.

Matthew 25:34 (NIV) "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."

Thank you Jesus for my portion. Amen.

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